Here's why:
* Shift from reason to emotion: Romanticism emphasized feeling and intuition over reason and logic, which was prevalent during the Enlightenment. This led to an exploration of personal emotions like love, fear, joy, and sorrow in a way that had never been seen before.
* Celebration of the individual: Romanticism celebrated the individual and their unique perspective, leading to a shift away from grand narratives and towards personal journeys and experiences. This influence can still be seen in modern literature, particularly in the rise of first-person narratives.
* Nature as a source of inspiration: Romantic writers saw nature as a source of beauty, power, and inspiration. This emphasis on nature's influence on human emotions and experiences continues to inspire writers today.
* The sublime and the beautiful: Romanticism explored the concepts of the sublime, which evokes awe and terror, and the beautiful, which inspires wonder and delight. This exploration of contrasting emotions continues to influence how writers create powerful imagery and sensory experiences in their work.
The emphasis on individual emotion and experience allowed writers to delve deeper into the human psyche, explore complex relationships, and express their unique perspectives on the world. This shift in focus from reason to emotion and individual experience fundamentally changed the landscape of literature and continues to shape the way we read and write today.